Hey 377, sorry you're having some trouble with your setup.
Yes, because you only bolted it on, under normal circumstances (and even some not so normal) either WH, or A/A should be able to take care of it somehow.
Not sure what else to look for at your end in the meantime, such as if it's possible that a cable was bound up, or something like that. The melting description does make it sound like it was indeed something internal.
Do you happen to have pics of the carnage? That would be a good start.
I do seem to remember hearing someone (here maybe?) saying something about trouble with speedo gears, but don't remember every hearing of the type of damage you're talking about. And it was usually damage to the driven gear, not the drive gear.
Not trying to shirk our duties (of course...%) but you might consider calling A/A first (1-800-350-2223) in case they have a known fix for a known issue. If they want you to call us, well, it was worth a shot. Was just thinking they might have more experience and expertise. Or if you just want to call us, that's fine too.
Interesting the plastic ones can slip off center.
Never heard that until Phil mentioned it in the other thread. But he knows his way around a Dana 20. Wasn't even aware you could get a plastic one for a D20 other than in the HD outputs.
You'd think on an almost six hundred dollar rear output assembly they would use metal instead of plastic.
Yeah, you might think. However I bet it's just because that for whatever reason A/A chose to use the Chrysler/Jeep gears(?) in the Atlas, it was an easy choice to use it in their D20 output assembly too. Or vice versa, depending on which came first?
Probably more readily available drive sleeves without going to a custom part.
I'm guessing that all's just because plastic is the material du jour these days.
I am going to call WH not going to hold my breath though. Bought a set of chromo axles from them a couple years ago. When I got the package it looked like it had been run over and stomped. Needless to say I was missing the u joints because I am sure they fell out of one of the large holes in the box. I call WH and told them what happened. I figured the guy on the phone might tell me how to file a claim or offer to send replacements. Negative, not a peep and then he acted like I was putting him out when I asked for a part number on the u joints. Maybe they were fresh out of customer service that day.
Apparently! And hopefully he's out of a job now.
Not sure who that was (would suck if it was me:-[), but unless there was some mitigating circumstance that i can't imagine right now, that's not our policy either. And if he was answering phones, should have known that.
A little late after the horse has left the barn, but we might still be able to figure something out that might help lessen the bad taste.
As far as that call, at the time it would have been a simple UPS claim from our end. You as the customer don't even have to do anything. We take care of it at our end. Assuming it was all done fairly quickly after the packaged was received. Beyond a certain timeframe of course, dealing with any shipper is a non-starter.
As far as this dilemma goes, give us a call and see if the experience is any different.
I know you said 12 miles, but assuming you have not driven it without the speedo working for the last 11 years, how long ago did you buy it?
This a long-term kind of a thing?
Paul